Teeth discolouration is something we all have to deal with at some point in our life. There are several reasons that cause the yellowing of our teeth, but is the discolouration also a sign of bad oral health? And how can you get your pearly whites back? In this article, we examine the possible reasons that cause yellow teeth and, more importantly, give advice on how to limit discolouring.

Diet – Cause

Teeth can become yellow or discoloured due to the food and beverages you consume. It will help to rinse your mouth with water after drinking your coffee, wine or tea. It would, however, be ideal if you would brush your teeth after consuming these beverages. Don’t brush your teeth right after you have consumed acidic foods or beverages, though! You might damage your teeth’s enamel and cause erosion. In this article, you can read about how to exactly avoid acid damage.

Yellow teeth indicate bad oral health – Myth

Even though a build-up of plaque can make teeth look more yellow, this doesn’t indicate anything necessarily about the health of your teeth. Especially if the yellowness is due to your food or beverage consumption. In that case, if you have a good oral care routine in place and visit your dentist regularly for check-ups then you should have nothing to worry about.

Smoking – Cause

Smoking or chewing tobacco can also have a bad influence on our oral health, besides the chance of developing diseases, you also damage your teeth. Your teeth will stain and turn yellow over time. Rinsing your mouth and brushing your teeth afterwards can help you to keep your teeth white.

Straws will save your teeth from staining and discolouration – Myth

Contrary to popular belief, using a straw will not totally save your teeth. The liquids will still swish around in your mouth after taking a sip through a straw, which means that your teeth still could get affected by your beverage. Using a straw can relieve the front of the teeth a bit more than drinking regularly.

Age and genetics – Cause

With age, our teeth start to become more yellow. Your enamel will naturally wear down and your teeth becoming more yellow is thus something that will happen to all of us. The thickness of our enamel is genetically determined and will thus affect how white our teeth appear as we age.